“I knew I was going to lose my hair, I just didn’t know it was going to happen so quickly,” said Jarrett Moore.
According to Dr. Christopher Obeime, board certified dermatologist, many men like Moore, experience alopecia at an early age. It may appear strange to some, but there are a variety of reasons resulting in hair loss.
Most reasons stem from two types of hair loss – scarring and non-scarring.
In non-scarring type alopecia, hair loss can occur as a result of conditions such as ringworm, an inflammatory process, severe dandruff, stress or alopecia areata. When the condition goes away, the hair returns.
In scarring type alopecia, men with conditions such as lupus will lose their hair, although those are rare cases. Unless the individual gets a hair transplant, Obeime states the hair will not grow back. Furthermore, the most common type of scarring alopecia is andro-genetic alopecia otherwise known as male pattern baldness.
Male pattern baldness is the result of testosterone in the body converting into another hormone called DHT. Due to genetics, DHT in excess amounts creates miniaturization of the hair follicles. When that happens eventually the hair falls out.
Moore believed he was going to experience hair loss in his early 40s like his father, but his hair loss began at age 22. After Moore’s weekly haircuts, he began to notice his hairline moving back. Before anyone noticed, he decided to shave it off.
“I didn’t try to hold on at all. Luckily in high school, I shaved my head because I thought it looked cool. When I went to my 10-year reunion, they were like ‘you look the same.’ Little did they know I was going bald,” joked Moore.
Obeime states Moore’s case isn’t uncommon. For men, young or old, hair loss usually happens on the crown on the scalp, the sides go, eventually to the back. In female pattern alopecia the front hairline is protected, and baldness begins on the top of the head.
On average, men and women lose about 100 hairs per day. Obeime encourages individuals who are noticing significant hair loss to see a dermatologist to make attempts in saving the hair, especially if hair loss is not linked to scarring type alopecia. With regular gentle cleansing, a light moisturizer on the scalp, in time the hair will grow back.
“Don’t come to me when all your hair is falling out and tell me your daughter’s getting married and you want me to fix it,” jokes Obeime. “Even if you have a problem and I fix it today, it takes several months for the hair to come back to where it needs to be.”
Despite the cause, many believe hair is significant in a person’s appearance and confidence level. Those who are experiencing hair loss may encounter emotional difficulty when understanding the reasons behind their alopecia.
“In the Black population, hair is a significant thing. People who earn very little money sometimes spend lots of money just trying to get their hair right. When I have a patient who has something that’s reversible it’s easy for me. When it’s permanent hair loss it’s harder,” explained Obeime.
Moore states he didn’t experience the emotional side of hair loss, but encourages other men who are to embrace their new look.
“I’ve seen guys who are hanging on to the little bit of hair they have. For young and old men, if you’re losing your hair, it just gets to a point where you got to let it go. Black guys can’t really do the comb-over,” said Moore. “I can’t even get the George Jefferson look going on, so for me, shaving my head, actually made me look better.”
